CPL Industries delivers ecoke® biofuel to Sidenor Special Steels, Spain

UK-based CPL Industries has delivered the first commercial trial of ecoke® to Sidenor's Electric Arc Furnace production site at Basauri, Spain.

CPL Industries said this represents an expansion in its penetration of "hard-to-abate and energy-intensive industries".

Its ecoke® product was developed during the final months of 2021. It is a manufactured fuel containing a minimum of 30% fully renewable and sustainably sourced biomass.

The new fuel has significantly lower carbon emissions compared to fossil-fuel based coke and anthracite, with comparable performance and specifications, according to the company.

Developed for the steel, metals and other energy intensive industries, the firm said ecoke® can be used in "existing production processes and handling equipment, thus enabling an immediate, straightforward and inexpensive switch to lower emissions".

The product has found considerable success in metals industries throughout Europe – in the UK (including Liberty Steel, pictured), Germany, France, Italy and Scandinavia – and is now attracting attention from a wider global audience, CPL Industries commented.

Jason Sutton, CEO of CPL Industries Solid Fuels, said: “We are immensely proud to support Sidenor’s robust sustainability agenda. Sidenor’s credentials in reducing CO2 emissions and decarbonisation strategies are already very advanced and we were able to identify a natural fit between our businesses to pursue a common goal.

"ecoke® provides an immediate path to decarbonisation and we are committed to a programme of product development and research investment to deliver advances in biofuels in order to exceed industry expectations and deliver further carbon savings over the coming years.

"In recent months customers have additionally been faced with delivery security issues and we are actively working with a number of major industrial companies on how best the combined capacity of 500,000 tonnes per annum across our UK and Ireland production facilities can help alleviate these supply-chain issues and provide security of supply.”

Solid Fuels managing director, Steve Anson, added: “Our continued success follows consistently excellent results from testing and trials since our launch seven months ago, and we continue to build sustainable relationships with strategically important partners for the future.

"Where no two furnaces react in quite the same way and no two industries share identical demands, our aim is to develop customer-specific grades and blends to maximise the production and carbon saving benefit. We look forward to developing our commercial relationship and technical cooperation with Sidenor over the coming months and years to mutual benefit.”